Apparatus for coiling lengths of stock



July 16, 1963 G. A. MITCHELL 3,097,811

APPARATUS FOR comma LENGTHS OF STOCK Filed Feb. 24, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

650265 6 (871 rev- 54L July 16, 1963 e. A, MITCHELL 3,097,811

APPARATUS FOR COILING LENGTHS OF STOCK Filed Feb. 24, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 6 626 62.0717Cl-l541.

svjijvm y 6, 1963 G. A. MITCHELL 3,097,811

APPARATUS FOR COILING LENGTHS OF STOCK Filed Feb. 24, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. A 50265 6. (69:rc///s1 4.

A TT'OZA/E. r

July 16, 1963 G. A. MITCHELL 3,097,811

APPARATUS FOR COILING LENGTHS OF STOCK Filed Feb. 24, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 N Q R.

650265 19 @I rev/ALL.

July 16, 1963 cs. A. MITCHELL APPARATUS FOR comma LENG'I'HS 0F swocx 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed'Feb. 24, 1961 JOZ July 16, 1963 7 G. A. MITCHELL APPARATUS FOR comma LENGTHS OF s'rocx 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 24, 1961 IN VEN TOR. Gama (9.m.l'7"C//LL.

BY /M 12:86 7- 70.2% 9,

United States Patent Ofice Ohio Filed Feb. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 91,422 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-80) This invention relates to apparatus for winding stock of round or similar cross section into orderly coils which can then be easily uncoiled when the stock is used in subsequent processing. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus of the type described which is capable of high speed operation with a minimum amount of shutdown time and which requires a minimum amount of manual labor in the coiling process.

As is known, coilers have been used for many years in the steel, aluminum and other metal industries for coiling lengths of strip and sheet material after it passes through a rolling mill, pickling line, slitter or the like. The usual coiler of this type comprises an expandable drum having :a disc-shaped flange on one side thereof, the arrangement being such that the drum may be expanded during .-a coiling operation and thereafter collapsed" to permit the wound coil to be removed from the drum. Since the sheet or strip material is flat and has substantial width, only the one flange need be used, the obvious reason being that the width of the strip will permit it to be wound into a spiral against the inside face of the one flange. This, of course, facilitates easy removal of the wound coil from the other end of the drum.

In the case of stock which is not flat such as aluminum rod, flanges must be used on both sides of the coiler since the rod does not have sufiicient width nor flatness to form a coil against a single flange. This, however, requires that one of the two flanges be removable to permit the wound stock to be withdrawn from the collapsible drum. In addition, means must be provided for evenly and uniformly winding the stock onto the drum such that it may be subsequently unwound in even layers without kinking.

In the past, coilers for continuous lengths of rod and other similm shapes usually employed -a single reel mounted on a driven shaft, in combination with an evenwind mechanism which wound the stock onto the reel in successive even layers. After each coil was wound on this single reel, it was then necessary for one or more workment to bind the coil with steel straps to prevent it from uncoi-ling after rem-oval from the reel. Thereafter, tastening bolts holding one of the two flanges onto the reel were manually removed and the reel disassembled to collapse its central drum and permit the wound coil to be withdrawn therefrom. Usually, the withdrawal of the coil was accomplished by means of an overhead crane or by jacks which lowered the coil onto a ramp. After the unloading operation, the entire reel a sembly had to be manually reassembled before a succeeding coiling operation could begin. I

As will be understood, the procedure heretofore used as outlined above was clumsy and required a great deal of manual labor. More important, however, is the fact that it necessitated a large amount of shutdown time to remove a coil and reassemble the reel, with the result that the production rate of the equipment was very low.

As an overall object, the present invention seeks to provide new and improved apparatus for coiling continuous lengths of rod, wire or other similar shapes.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide coiling apparatus of the type decribed which is automatic, or at least semi-automatic, so as to require a minimum amount of manual labor.

Another object of the invention is to provide coiling apparatus for continuous lengths of rod, wire and the is 3,097,811 Patented July 16, 1963 2 like capable of rapid operation in that a minimum amount of shutdown time is required between the completion of a winding operation on one coil and the initiation of winding on a subsequent coil.

Still another object of the invention is to provide coiling apparatus of the type described which forms a coil of uniform and evenly wound layers so as to facilitate easy subsequent uncoiling.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, stock to be coiled is wound upon one of two reels which is moved into position to receive stock from an evenwind mechanism While the other reel is simultaneously moved to :an unloading position where a wound coil may be bound with steel straps and thereafter removed from the reel which is then ready for a succeeding coiling operation. Thus, a minimum amount of time is required between the completion of one coiling operation and the initiation of a succeeding coiling operation on the other reel, meaning that the coiling proceess can be almost continuous with one reel being loaded while the other is unloaded.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each of the aforesaid reel comp-rises an automatically collapsible central drum having a first disc-like flange fixed to one end and a second disc-like flange removably secured to its other end. During a coiling operation, the drum will be expanded and the removable flange secured thereto to provide, in effect, two stops or walls between which the stock is wound in even layers progressively from one flange to the other and then back again. In order to remove the'coiled stock from the reel, the drum is collapsed, the removable flange removed, and the coil picked up by a cradle device which extracts it from the drum and deposits it on a run-out ramp, all of these operations being automatic to decrease the amount of labor required and increase the production efliciency of the apparatus.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational side view of the overall coiling arrangement of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1;

'FIG. 3 is a partially broken away view of a portion of the rotary drive assembly for reels upon which stock is wound;

FIG. 4 is a partially broken-away elevational view of the rotary coil supporting and unloading arm arrangement of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the ope-ration of the collapsible drum arrangement and removable flange for each reel;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the stationary flange of the reel shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional View taken along line VIII- VIII of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a partially broken-away end view of the coil unloading apparatus of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the apparatus shown includes a concrete base 10 which supports a table 12 and a rotary coil supporting and unloading arm assembly, generally indicated at 14. Carried on the table 12 is an electric motor 16 which is connected through a gear reducer 18 to a rotatable main drive shaft 20. As shown, the main drive shaft 20 is connected through a chain drive 22 to an evenwind mechanism, generally indicated at 24 in FIG. 2.

3 The evenwind mechanism comprises a guiding carriage 26 which moves back and forth across a screw 28 during a winding operation to form successive even layers of wound stock on a reel in a manner hereinafter described.

Carried on the right end of the main drive shaft 28 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a first stock-receiving reel 30. As will hereinafter be explained, the reel 30 is one of a complementary pair, the other reel being identified by the numeral 32 in FIG. 1. Each reel comprises a collapsible central drum or hub member 34 having a first flange 36 fixed to its one end and a second flange 38 remov-ably secured to its other end.

The details of each of the reels are shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. With reference to FIG. 5, the reel is shown as supported on one arm 48* of the two horizontal arms 49 and 42 (FIG. 2) of the rotary coil supporting and unloading arm assembly 14. Each arm 40 or 42 is provided with an outer cylindrical sleeve or spindle 44 which is adapted to rotate around the arm on roller bearings 46 and 48, the sleeve 44 being held in position between a shoulder 50 and an end cap 52 which is bolted or otherwise securely fastened to the arm.

The reel itself comprises an inner cylindrical member 54 which is adapted to slide over the sleeve 44. At one end of the cylindrical member 54 are a plurality of circumferentially spaced sprockets 56 which carry a ringshaped member 58. Fitted over the member 58 is a second ring-like member 60 having an annular flange 62 secured to its outer periphery, at one end thereof. Carried on the other end of the cylindrical member 54 is a disc-like flange 64 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 66 therein.

Slideably received on the outer circumference of the cylindrical member 54 is a second cylindrical member 68, possibly best shown in FIG. 6. The member 68 is interposed between a coil spring 70 (FIG. and a plurality of plungers 72 circumferentially spaced around the reel and slideable within bushings 74 carried on the sprockets 56. The left ends of the plungers 72 as shown in FIG. 5 are all fastened to a ring 76. Thus, the coil spring 70 will normally urge the cylindrical member 68 to the left as shown in FIG. 5; however, it may be moved to the right by exerting an axial force on the ring 76 which will move the ring, the plungers 72 and the member 68 to the right against the force of the coil spring 70.

Circumferentially spaced around the cylindrical member 68 are a plurality of arcuate sections 78, possibly best shown in FIG. 6. Interconnecting each of the arcuate sections 78 with the cylindrical member 68 are a pair of linkages 88 and 82, each of which is pivotally connected to the arcuate section and the cylindrical member 68, respectively, as at 84 and 86. As shown, the arcuate sections 78 are carried between the sprockets 56 and the flange 64. Thus, when the cylindrical member 68 is moved to the right as shown in FIG. 5 by depressing the ring 76, the linkages 80 and 82 will move the arcuate sections 78 radially inwardly; but when the ring 76 is released, the spring 70 will force the member 68 to the left to move the arcuate sections 78 radially outwardly. In this manner, the central drum 34 may be collapsed by depressing the ring 76 and expanded by releasing this ring against the force of spring 70.

The stationary or fixed flange 36 is shown in FIG. 7 and comprises a plurality of arcuate sections 88 each of which has its inner periphery Welded or otherwise securely fastened to the ring-shaped member 60. Radially extending flanges 90 serve to support the arcuate sections 88, while a tubular member 92 encircles the outer radial ends of the flanges 90 and serves to hold the arcuate sections 88 in place. Provided in each of the arcuate sections 88 is a slot 94, possibly best shown in FIG. 8. The arcuate sections 88 are lined with a backing 96 provided with slots 98 adjacent the slots 94 to receive steel straps. As will be seen, after each coil is wound upon the reel, the steel straps will be passed through the slots 98 and slots 108 provided in the wooden planking 102 for each arcuate section 78 (FIG. 6) and then through a corresponding slot in the removable flange 38 on the other side of the reel. In this manner, steel straps may be passed around the entire coil before it is removed from the reel to prevent it from uncoiling. The flange 104 shown in FIG. 5 serves to direct the steel straps from slots 98 into the slots 180 provided in the arcuate sections 78.

Referring now to the removable flange 38, it is similar in construction to the fixed flange 36 already described and comprises a plurality of arcuate sections which are.

reinforced by radially extending flanges 186. As was the case with the flange 36, a tubular member 188 encircles the =outer radial ends of the flanges 188 and serves to hold the flange in assembled relationship. Provided on the inner periphery of the arcuate sections of flange 38 and their associated supporting flanges 186 is a ringshaped member having an annular notch 112 provided on its inner periphery. The notch 112 is adapted to receive a plurality of detents 114, each of which is carried on the end of an associated one of the arcuate segments 78, the arrangement being such that when the segments 78 are expanded, the detents 114 will move radially outwardly into the notch 112 to lock flange 38 to the drum 34. On the other hand, when the drum 34 is collapsed and the arcuate segments 78 move radially inwardly, the detents 114 will move out of the notch 112 to disengage the flange 38 from drum 34.

Also carried on the inner peripheries of the supporting flanges 106 is a cylindrical member 116 having an annular notch 118 provided in its outer periphery. This notch is employed in removing the flange 38 from the drum 34 in a manner which will hereinafter be described.

On the inner periphery of the cylindrical member 116 is a member 120 which carries a radially-inwardly extending bolt .122 threaded into member 120 as shown. Slideable on the bolt .122 is a key 124 which is adapted to snap into an associated keyway, not shown, formed in the main drive shaft 29, the arrangement begin such that when the reel is forced onto the main drive shaft and the shaft rotated, the key 124 will snap into the keyway when said key-way registers with the key. A coil spring 126 encircling the bolt 122 serves to resiliently urge the key 124 radially inwardly as shown.

Returning now to FIG. 3, slideable on the main drive shaft 20 is a cross head 128 which is connected to a pair of hydraulic cylinders 130 and 132 postioned above and below the main drive shaft, respectively, these cylinders being shown in outline in FIG. 1. The cross head 128 includes a central cylindrical portion 134 having its inner periphery provided with a bushing 136 which rides on the periphery of the main drive shaft 20. A second bushing 138 is interposed between the cylindrical portion 134 and a flange 140 on the drive shaft. Carried on the cylindrical member 134 is a block 142 which supports a latch mechanism 144 for locking the reel 30- or 32 to the cross head 4128. As shown, the latch mechanism 144 incudes a tongue 146 having a handle 148 extending upwardly therefrom. The tongue 146 is connected to the block 142 whereby it may be rotated by the handle 148 to a first position where it engages the flange on the reel or to a second position where it will clear the flange 125. Thus, if a reel 30 or 32 is on the main drive shaft 20 and it is desired to push the reel oif of the drive shaft, the cylinders and 132 will be pressurized to move the cross head 128 to the right as shown in FIGS. l-3, thereby pushing or sliding the reel onto an arm 40 or 42 of the rotary coil supporting and unloading assembly 14. On the other hand, when a coil is positioned on one of the arms 48 or 42 and it is desired to pull it onto the main drive shaft 20 preparatory to a winding operation, the cylinders 130 and 132 will first be pressurized to move the cross head 128 to its extreme right position where it will abut the flange I125 on the reel positioned on either arm 40 or 42. At this point, the handle 148 of the latch mechanism 144 will be rotated to position the tongue 146 behind the flange 125; whereupon the cylinders 130 and 2132 will be pressurized in the opposite direction to retract the cross head which then carries the reel with it. As the reel moves onto the main drive shaft 20, the key 124 (-FIG. 5) will move radially outwardly against the force of coil spring 126. Thereafter, when the drive shaft 20 is rotated there will be a certain amount of slippage between the reel and the shaft until the key 124 registers with the aforementioned keyway, not shown, in the shaft 20. At this point, the key 124 will snap into the keyway and the reel will be rotatably locked to the shaft until it is pushed off of the shaft by the cylinders 13% and 132 and cross head 128 at the completion of a winding operation.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the rotary coil supporting and unloading arm assembly 14 comprises a base 150 which supports a vertical central spindle or rotatable shaft 152. Rotatable around the central spindle 152 on thrust bearings 154 and 156 is a cylindrical member 158 having an annular flange 166 welded or otherwise secured to its lower end. Projecting upwardly from the flange 160 are a pair of gussets 16-2 and 164 which carry a ring 166. Welded or otherwise securely fastened to the ring 166 is a cylindrical drum 168 having openings therein which receive bushings 170 and 172. As shown, each of the bushings 170 and 172 carries the inner end of an associated one of the arms 46 or 4 2. On the forward end of each of the bushings '170 and 172 is ring-shaped flange 174 which is supported by means of gussets 176. Carried above each of the bushings 170 and 172 is a block 173 having a bore 180 therein which receives a springloaded plunger 182. As shown, the plunger 18 2 on each of the bushings 176 and 17.2 registers with the ring 76 on the inner end of each of the reels 30 and 32. The plungers 132 are adapted to be moved to the right as shown in FIG. 4 by means of an air or hydraulic cylinde'r 184 having a piston rod or plunger 186 which registers alternately with the plungers 182 above the two bushings 176 and 172. Thus, with a reel in the position shown in FIG. 4, the cylinder 184 may be pressurized to move the plunger 182, the ring 76, the plungers 74 and the cylindrical member 68 to the right to collapse the drum 34 of that reel.

Projecting upwardly from the central spindle 152 is a support 188 having a downwardly-depending flange 190 secured to its upper end. Actually, two of these supports 188 are provided in the assembly, only one of said supports being shown in FIG. 4. The two supports are interconnected by means of a supporting plate 192. With this arrangement, when a reel is on arm 40 as shown in FIG. 4, it may be easily pulled onto the main drive shaft by cylinders 130 and 13 2. However, the flange 62 on the reel carried on arm 42 will engage flange 190* if an attempt is made to slide the reel off of this arm. As the cylindrical member 158 and the parts carried thereby are rotated, the positions of the arms 40 and 42 will be reversed, with the reel on arm 42 being free to slide onto the drive shaft 20 and the reel on arm 4i locked by means of the flange 190-.

Referring again to FIG. 1, adjacent the assembly 14 is a coil unloading mechanism, generally indicated at 1:94. It comprises a carriage 196 having rollers 19% adapted to traverse a pair of trackways 20 0' and 202. The carriage 1 96 is traversed on its associated trackways by means of a hydraulic cylinder 204 which is supported on the base as shown. Extending upwardly from the carriage 196 is a support 206 which carries, at its upper extremity, a cup-shaped flange-receiving unit or damp ing device .208.

As shown in FIG. 5,-the flange-receiving unit or clamping device 208 comprises a disc-shaped member 210 carried on the support 206 and having an annular flange 212 secured to one face thereof. Carried on the flange 212 are one or more plunger assemblies 214, each of which includes a reciprocable plunger 216 which is normally urged radially inwardly by means of a coil spring 218. Thus, when the carriage .196 is moved to the left as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the flange holding assembly 208 moves over the cylindrical member 116 on the removable flange 38, the plunger or plungers 216 will snap into the annular notch 1'18. Thereafter, when the drum 34 is collapsed and the detents L14 move out of notch 112 in ring (FIG. 5), the removable flange may be separated from the drum when the carriage 196 is retracted.

As best shown in FIG. 9, the carriage 196 carries a vertical hydraulic cylinder 220 having a piston rod 222 which supports a horizontal plate 224. Depending downwardly from the plate 224 is a cylindrical skirt 226 which rides on rollers 223, these rollers being carried on vertical supports 227 which depend downwardly from the carriage 196. Pivotally carried on the plate 224 as at 236 is a cradle structure 232 having a weight 234 at its right end as shown in FIG. 9 adapted to engage a cooperating stop 236 projecting upwardly from the base 16. Thus, when the cylinder 220 is retracted and the cradle i232 lowered, the weight 234 will engage stop 236 to rotate the cradle 232 into the position shown whereby a wound coil of stock will roll off of the cradle onto the base 10. When, however, the cylinder 220 is pressurized to elevate the cradle 232, the weight 234 will cause it to rotate in a clockwise direction into the position shown in dotted outline. In this position, then, it will support a wound coil of stock and prevent it from rolling in one direction or the other.

In the operation of the device, it will be assumed that each of the arms 42 and 42 has an associated reel 30 and 32, respectively, thereon. In order to effect a stock winding operation, the cylinders 139 and 132 will be pressurized to move the cross head 128 to the right as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 until it engages the flange on reel 3% carried on the arm 49. At this point, an operator will manually rotate the latch arm 148 whereby the tongue 146 will engage flange 125 to lock the reel 30 'to' the cross head 123. Thereafter, the cylinders and 132 will be pressurized in the opposite direction to move the cross head to the left as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this process, the reel 36 will be pulled from the arm 40 and onto the main drive shaft 20.

Following this, the end of the stock to be wound is secured to the drum 34 of reel 36 and the motor 16 actuated to rotate the main drive shaft 20. At first, the main drive shaft may slip within the reel 36, however when the key 124 (FIG. 5) registers with its associated keyway, the reel will be locked to the shaft and rotated therewith. As the reel rotates, the evenwind mechanism 24 shown in FIG. 2 will evenly wind successive layers of stock onto the reel 3h progressing from one flange to the other and then back again.

After the winding operation is completed, the latch arm 148 will be rotated to disengage the tongue 146 from the flange 62 and the cylinders 130 and 132 will be pressurized to push the reel 30 back onto the arm 40. Thereafter, the rotary coil supporting and unloading arm mechanism 14 will be manually rotated by the operator whereby the positions of reels 30 and 32 will be reversed. That is, reel 30 will now be on the right side of assembly 14; whereas reel 32 will be on the left side. As soon as the reels are rotated through in this manner, the reel 32 will be connected to the cross head 128 by means of tongue 146, and the cylinders 130 and 132 pressurized to pull the reel 32 onto the main drive shaft 20 where the process described above is repeated. In this manner, a minimum amount of time is lost between the completion of a winding operation on one reel and'the initiation of winding on the other reel. That is, the only time lost between winding operations is that required to push one reel onto arm 40, rotate the assembly 14, and pull the other reel back onto the main drive shaft 20.

As the coil is being wound on reel 32 for the example given above, the operator will place steel straps around the previously wound coil on reel 30 in the manner described. After the coil is thus bound, the operator will pressurize cylinder 1204 to move carriage 196 to the left as shown in FIG. 1 whereby the assembly 208 will pass over cylindrical member 116 on the removable flange 38 of reel 30. At this point, the cradle 232 will also be under the wound coil of stock. Thereafter, the operator will pressurize cylinder 184 (FIG. 4) to move ring 76, the plunger 74 and cylindrical member 68 to the right as shown in FIG. 5, thereby collapsing the drum 34 and disengaging the removable flange 38. With the drum 34 now collapsed and the removable flange 38 held within the cup-shaped assembly or clamping device 208, the wound coil of stock will be supported on the cradle 232. Thereafter, cylinder 204 is pressurized to move the carriage 196 to the right, thereby carrying the wound coil and the removable flange 38 with it. After the carriage moves to its extreme right position shown in FIG. 1, the cylinder 220 is pressurized to lower the cradle 232 until weight 234 engages the stop 236, whereupon the cradle will rotate in a counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 9 to discharge the wound coil of stock onto the base 10 where it may be picked up by a fork-truck, crane or other similar instrumentality.

Following this procedure, the cradle 232 is again elevated by cylinder .220, said cylinder 204 is pressurized to move the carriage 96 and the removable flange 38 carried thereby to the left as shown in FIG. 1 until the flange abuts the end of the collapsible drum 34. At this point, the pressure on cylinder 184 is released and the springloaded plunger 182 will spring backwardly whereby spring 70 may force cylindrical member 68 to the left as shown in FIG. 5. As will be understood, this process again expands the drum 34 while locking the removable flange 38 thereto by virtue of the fact that the detents 114 will now move radially outwardly into the annular notch 112 in ring 110.

During the entire unloading operation, winding progresses on the other reel, and when this winding operation is completed, the reel is transferred to its associated arm on assembly 14 where the process is repeated.

-It can thus be seen that the present invention provides an eflicient and labor-saving means for winding continuous lengths of round or similar cross-sectional shapes into coils while requiring a minimum amount of shut-down time between the completion of winding on one reel and the initiation of winding on the next succeeding reel. At the same time, the apparatus is automatic, or at least semiautomatic, so as to require a minimum amount of manual labor. Although the invention has been shown in connection with a certain specific embodiment, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for coiling continuous lengths of stock comprising a base, a rotatable horizontal shaft supported above said base, a rotatable vertical shaft extending up wardly from said base and having an axis lying in a common vertical plane with the axis of said horizontal shaft, a plurality of arms connected to said vertical shaft and spaced above said base whereby any one of said arms may be rotated into alignment with said rotatable horizontal shaft, reels carried on said arms, each of said reels comprising an expandable central drum having a first flange fixed to its one end and a second flange removably secured to its other end, apparatus for sliding a reel from an arm onto said rotatable horizontal shaft and vice versa when in alignment therewith, an evenwind mechanism for winding stock onto a reel positioned on said rotatable horizontal shaft, and means for removing a wound coil of stock from one of said reels While stock is being wound on another of the reels, said latter-mentioned means comprising a carriage movable along a path extending parallel to the axis of a reel while in unloading position, a cradle carried by said carriage and adapted to pass under and elevate a wound coil of stock on a collapsed reel drum whereby the carriage may move the coil axially off of the collapsed drum, and a clamping device on the carriage for engaging said second flange to carry it with the carriage away from the drum as a coil is removed therefrom.

2. Apparatus for coiling lengths of stock comprising an evenwind mechanism, a plurality of reels adapted to receive stock from said evenwind mechanism, each of said reels comprising an expandable central drum having a first flange fixed to its one end and a second flange removably secured to its other end, means for moving one of said reels into position to receive stock from the evenwind mechanism while moving another of said reels having a wound coil thereon out of stock-receiving position and into an unloading position, means at said unloading position for collapsing said drum, a carriage movable along a path extending parallel to the axis of the reel at the unloading position, a cradle carried by said carriage and adapted to pass under and elevate a wound coil of stock on a collapsed reel drum whereby the carriage may move the coil axially off of the collapsed drum, and a clamping device on the carriage for engaging said flange to carry it with the carriage away from the drum as a coil is removed therefrom.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2 wherein said second flange is provided with an annular grooved portion and wherein the clamping device on the carriage comprises a cup-shaped member slideable over said grooved portion with the cup-shaped member being provided with resiliently-biased detents adapted to fit into said grooved portion.

4. Apparatus for coiling lengths of stock comprising a base, a rotatable vertical shaft extending upwardly from said base, horizontal arms connected to said shaft, reels slideably received on said arms, each of said reels comprising a cylindrical hub member, a first radially-extending flange fixedly secured to one end of said hub member, a collapsible drum extending circumferentialiy around said hub member and coaxial therewith, a second radially-extending flange, means on said drum for removably securing the second flange to the other end of said hub member when the drum is expanded, axially movable apparatus surrounding the thllb member for collapsing said drum and releasing said second flange, an evenwind mechanism adjacent said vertical shaft, means for moving one of said reels into position to receive stock from the evenwind mechanism While moving another of said reels having a wound coil thereon out of stock-receiving position and into an unloading position, and cylinder means carried on said vertical shaft and arranged to engage said axially movable apparatus surrounding the hub member at said unloading position for collapsing said drum and releasing said second flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,881,019 McFarland Oct. 4, 1932 2,185,360 Talbot Apr. 29, 1936 2,327,906 Kiefer Aug. 24, 1943 2,335,602 -Nash et a1. Nov. 30, 1943 2,419,699 Wood Apr. 29, 1947 2,506,880 Ligler May 9, 1950 2,535,693 Murray Dec. 26, 1950 2,762,576 Herr Sept. 11, 1956 2,762,577 Herr S pt. 11, 1956 

1. APPARATUS FOR COILING CONTINUOUS LENGTHS OF STOCK COMPRISING A BASE, A ROTATABLE HORIZONTAL SHAFT SUPPORTED ABOVE SAID BASE, A ROTATABLE VERTICAL SHAFT EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE AND HAVING AN AXIS LYING IN A COMMON VERTICAL PLANE WITH THE AXIS OF SAID HORIZONTAL SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF ARMS CONNECTED TO SAID VERTICAL SHAFT AND SPACED ABOVE SAID BASE WHEREBY ANY ONE OF SAID ARMS MAY BE ROTATED INTO ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ROTATABLE HORIZONTAL SHAFT, REELS CARRIED ON SAID ARMS, EACH OF SAID REELS COMPRISING AN EXPANDABLE CENTRAL DRUM HAVING A FIRST FLANGED FIXED TO ITS ONE END AND A SECOND FLANGE REMOVABLY SECURED TO ITS OTHER END, APPARATUS FOR SLIDING A REEL FORM AN ARM ONTO SAID ROTATABLE HORIZONTALY SHAFT AND VICE VERSA WHEN AN ALIGNMENT THEREWITH, AN EVENWIND MECHANISM FOR WINDING STOCK ONTO A REEL POSITIONED ON SAID ROTATABLE HORIZONTAL SHAFT, AND MEANS FOR REMOVING A WOUND COIL OF STOCK FROM ONE OF SAID REELS WHILE STOCK IS BEING WOUND ON ANOTHER OF THE REELS, SAID LATTER-MENTIONED MEANS COMPRISING A CARRIAGE MOVABLE ALONG A PATH EXTENDING PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF A REEL WHILE IN UNLOADING POSITION, A CRADLE CARRIED BY SAID CARRIAGE AND ADAPTED TO PASS UNDER AND ELEVATE A WOUND COIL OF STOCK ON A COLLAPSED REEL DRUM WHEREBY THE CARRIAGE MAY MOVE THE COIL AXIALLY OFF OF THE COLLAPSED DRUM, AND A CLAMPING DEVICE ON THE CARRIAGE FOR ENGAGING SAID SECOND FLANGE TO CARRY IT WITH THE CARRIAGE AWAY FROM THE DRUM AS A COIL IS REMOVED THEREFROM. 